INDIANAPOLIS -- With U.S. Rep. Julia Carson having announced she is terminally ill and won't seek re-election in 2008, more Republicans probably will be interested in competing for the six-term congresswoman's seat, the chairman of Marion County's Republican Party said Monday.

Carson, a 69-year-old Democrat who has represented Indianapolis in the U.S. House since 1997, said over the weekend that she had terminal lung cancer, and she ruled out a re-election bid on Monday.

Two Republicans, including first-term state Rep. Jon Elrod of Indianapolis, already had announced they would seek their party's nomination for the seat. On Monday, Marion County GOP chairman Tom John said more could follow, including Eric Dickerson, who lost to Carson in the general election last year.

"With it being an open seat, you may see a lot more people come up and step up, and obviously Eric Dickerson has discussed it, ran last time," John said. "There are other great people that I'm sure may step into the race."

John said Elrod is "great," but if other Republicans step forward, "we'll love to talk to them, too."

"We want the absolute best people, and so if there are people that are interested or may be interested, we'd love to talk to them," John said.

Political newcomer Wayne Harmon is the other declared Republican candidate.

No Democrat has announced plans to run. The county's Democratic Party chairman, Mike O'Connor, said Monday was too early, in the wake of Carson's announcement, to discuss politics.

"When it's the right time to start talking about politics, we'll know, and I think it's a little too early right now for that," O'Connor said.

Carson hasn't been to Washington since September, when her office announced she was hospitalized in Indianapolis for a severe leg infection. In a statement released over the weekend, Carson said she had planned to return to Washington after she recovered from that, but doctors then diagnosed her with cancer.

"It had gone into remission years before, but it was back with a terminal vengeance," the six-term congresswoman said in the statement, which did not disclose the date of her initial diagnosis.

In a statement released Monday, Carson cast doubt on whether she would finish her current, two-year term, which runs through 2008.

"Who knows the future? Who knows God's will? I want very much to return to Washington and continue representing the good people of Indianapolis with my vote," she said. "I can only request your prayers that I might gain the strength to continue my service."

If Carson determines that she is not able to finish the term, she would turn in a letter of resignation. Republicans and Democrats would then call for special caucuses in preparation for a special election, 6News political contributor Abdul-Hakim Shabazz said.

A special election would be set for within 30 to 60 days. The winner of that special election would then have to run again for the congressional seat in November 2008.

The opening of Carson's congressional seat has several possible Democratic and Republican hopefuls waiting in the wings, Shabazz said.

"It's a bit morbid in a sense, because we've been getting feelers in some political circles about some people wanting to run if the congresswoman didn't serve," Shabazz said. "It's kind of like your grandmother on her death bed, and people are going through the house tagging silverware and marking their territory."

Before Carson announced she wouldn't seek another term, Marion County Treasurer Mike Rodman, a Democrat, said he'd be a candidate if Carson didn't run.

On Monday, Rodman offered some guarded comments, saying he hadn't seen Carson's announcement.

"I haven't seen anything officially yet, and out of respect for her, I'll reserve comment until I see something officially," Rodman said.

Rodman said Democrats have a Feb. 16 slating convention, and that "we will sort things out between now and then."